Ukraine loses almost all US-given Abrams tanks

(MENAFN) Nearly all of the 31 American-made M1 Abrams tanks supplied to Ukraine have been destroyed or rendered inoperable, according to a report by RIA Novosti. The Russian news outlet claims that only five Abrams tanks remain functional, based on its analysis of battlefield data.

The tanks were pledged by then-President Joe Biden in January 2023 and delivered by September that year. Since arriving, the Abrams units have frequently been targeted by Russian forces, with footage regularly released purportedly showing their destruction or capture. One of the tanks was even showcased at Russia’s Army-2024 defense expo as a trophy.

RIA reports that 26 Abrams tanks have been destroyed since February 2024, starting with the first loss near Avdeevka on February 26. This aligns with a March 2024 New York Times report citing Ukrainian officials, who said 19 of the tanks had been either destroyed or damaged. The remaining vehicles were subsequently pulled back from the front lines due to their susceptibility to Russian drones and artillery.

Independent analyst group Oryx, which tracks confirmed visual losses, also estimated that at least 22 Abrams tanks had been lost as of late 2024.

Russia’s Defense Ministry recently claimed it had captured two intact Abrams tanks during an operation in Ukraine’s Sumy Region. A video released by the ministry showed Russian troops retrieving the tanks after securing the area.

Despite early Western predictions that the Abrams would be a decisive asset for Ukraine, expectations have fallen flat. Ukraine’s top military intelligence official, Kirill Budanov, admitted in late 2023 that the tanks were unlikely to last long in active combat, and former US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan later conceded they had limited utility for Kiev.

Russia has consistently argued that Western arms shipments to Ukraine only worsen the conflict, causing more casualties without changing the war’s outcome.

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